1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of surgical instruments and more particularly in the field of vessel dilators.
2. Related Art
A vessel dilator provides intra-luminal vessel dilation during surgery. Vessel dilators are frequently used during surgical procedures as aid in fine dissection and vessel anastomosis. As a vessel dilator is inserted into a vessel, the dilator helps to hold the vessel wall and avoid suturing the back to the front wall of the vessel. A conventional vessel dilator comprises a modified forceps having elongated parallel tips which are highly polished. The parallel tips are pressed together to provide a single tapered shaft. The tapered shaft is inserted into a vessel, and the parallel tips are allowed to separate thereby dilating the vessel.
Often, when a vessel is to be sutured, the vessel must be irrigated using an irrigator. Irrigation is used to prevent drying of tissue, to remove tissue debris and blood, to keep vessel ends open and prevent floating adventitia at vessel ends interrupting satisfactory microvascular suturing and anastomosis. Irrigation keeps the operative field clean, and inhibits blood clotting inside the lumen of the blood vessel.
Suction keep the operative field clean and inhibit blood clotting inside the lumen of the blood vessel.
Anastomosis covers a variety of procedures in which blood vessels (or other tubular members) are joined or reconnected. Vessels may be joined in a variety of relative orientations, including end-to-side, and end-to-end. Anastomosis is traditionally performed by suturing the vessels together at the juncture between them. Alternatives to suturing have been developed, in order to prevent thrombosis which tends to occur at the points of penetration of the sutures. One such alternative, particularly for larger vessels, involves mechanical connectors such as collars. A second alternative is the use of surgical clips which are applied along the vessel juncture to perform a holding function similar to that of sutures, without penetrating the vessel walls.
Cauterization seals vessels and arrest bleeding. A conventional bipolar-type blood vessel coagulation/stanching device uses high-frequency current. A number of such conventional devices employing a spark gap method generating high frequency ranging between 0.5 to 3 MHz have been used. The two electrodes (active and inactive electrodes) of the bipolar type device are provided at both ends of a pair of forceps to be held by hand. Electric current flows only through the living tissue held between the ends of the forceps. Since electric damage to a patient is applied only to a limited portion to be coagulated, bleeding from a blood vessel can be stopped completely without injuring other tissues. More specifically, the stanching effect of the device is obtained by coagulating the blood vessel using localized heating caused by the high-frequency current flowing through the living tissue.
The surgeon must alternate among dilation, irrigation, suction during vessel dissection and anastomosis and cauterization, using separate dilation, suction, irrigation and cauterization instruments. The act of switching among these four instruments is time-consuming and can interrupt the surgeon's attention and concentration.
Applicant herein has invented a three functional vessel dilator performing the functions of dilation, irrigation, suction during vessel dissection and anastomosis. Still, when suturing a blood vessel or otherwise performing operative tasks, a surgeon must alternate between three functional vessel dilator and a cauterization instrument. Alternating between these instruments is time consuming, and interrupts the surgeon's attention.
There is a need for a four function vessel dilator performing the functions of dilation, irrigation, suction during vessel dissection and anastomosis and cauterization. A simple to use, easy to handle, lightweight, atraumatic, all-in-one instrument can significantly reduce operative time and improve the overall efficiency of the operative procedure. The advantage of a totally disposable instrument is also evident in its low cost and the avoidance of transmission of pathogenic agents, because current sterilization techniques are not totally fail-safe.
The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the presently known deficiencies in the art.